Naruto Next Generation: History Repeats itself
by starfire-biggest fan
Summary: Uzumaki Kana has enough problems in her life. Shes Konohas jewel, what w/ her father being hokage. & she has a mysterious past that has 2 do w/ Oruchimaru. Then when rouge ninja, Uchiha Akito, comes 2 Konoha, her fathers past merges with her present. R&R!
1. Prologue: Curse Mark

**Authors note: I do not own the original characters of Naruto. The brilliant Masashi Kishimoto does. There. Happy? -.-**

-xXx-

A small girl stood in a moonlit clearing, her pale eyes miniature replicas of the full moon above her head. Her dark blonde hair was pulled back, revealing her pale skin drenched in sweat. The eyes were trained on the dented log in front of her as she constantly slammed her palms against it's surface.

Points of chakra as sharp as kunai made slits in the bark, barely noticeable. Only she could identify where they were placed, thanks to her byakugan. She had only earned the inherited talent a few months ago, and preferred to work on perfecting it alone.

With one final, deathly strike to the vertical log, her sharp vision receded. She grabbed the bottle of water that rested on a nearby stump and popped the lid off. She poured the cool and refreshing liquid down her dry throat, oblivious to her surroundings only for a moment.

A movement in the neighboring forest alerted her to the brief, yet fatal mistake she had made. A good ninja should always be alert and aware of their surroundings. Too late, she realized, as something hard connected with her skull and made the world disappear.

-xXx-

It seemed like only a moment passed before the child became aware of her surroundings once more. The first thing to come to her attention was the unbearable pain coursing through her body, it's apparent source coming from her neck. She wanted to scream, but all that she could manage was a choked whimper.

When she barely managed to open her eyes, she saw flames lowering over her and a dark figure leaning over her body. The body was a boys, obviously only a few years older. But the flames surrounding him made it impossible to see much else except for his outline.

But one detail she could make out was his eyes. They reflected the flames light, the color a blood red. Three black tear drops chased each other around the red irises. She'd seen those eyes before she'd been taught the history of the nearly extinct clan which had been destroyed by one of the members of the clan itself.

What was his name? She couldn't remember. Her pain was too intense. But she'd memorized the name of the clan and could easily recite it from heart.

Uchicha.

Perhaps this was a descendent of one of the survivors?

"Uzumaki Kana."

It took the girl, Kana, a long while to realize that the light, seductive voice wasn't coming from the figure leaning over her. As the boy looked up, she realized the person talking was outside of her peripheral vision.

She cried out as a fresh wave of pain coursed through her body. Her hand jerked up and pressed against her neck in a useless attempt to muffle the source of pain.

The man with the seductive voice chuckled and sat next to the boy. Long black hair brushed across her face, a few strands clinging briefly to her sweat drenched skin. Snake like eyes bore into hers. She could recognize those eyes anywhere. After all, he was the reason she always kept a vigilant eye out for danger. Why she worked so hard to be the best. He'd been after her since the day she was born.

"Oruchimaru." She barely uttered, her voice small and high pitched with fear. So he'd finally gotten her in his grasps. She couldn't see much of him other than his eyes, so she couldn't see his expression. But she was sure it was one of victory.

"You didn't really think your father could protect you forever? Ah yes," He paused and waved his hand to the boy. "You two will become good friends soon enough, I'm sure. If you will, Akito?" The last few words were obviously for the boy.

The boy moved slightly and then leaned forward until Kana's face was only inches from his. Kana was too far gone to notice anything specific about his features before his sharingan drowned her in darkness once more.


	2. Chapter 1: History Repeats Itself

**Author's note: Still don't own them. Yet... Eh, but for now, the character's I made up will have to do.**

-xXx-

"Kana! Hey, Kana!" My team mate called at me from the other end of the block. I turned around and placed my hands on my hips.

"Honestly Kyo, can you be any louder?" I sighed as he halted in front of me. Only he would've recognized the playful flash in my eyes.

He grinned widely, showing off his canine teeth. He was part of the inuzuka clan, and his dog was already full grown. Brown shaggy coat, beady black eyes, and seriously sharp teeth. If he could stand, he'd be taller than a full grown man.

His dog, Ankuro, licked my hand and whined, his way of telling me he wanted me to pet him. I did so by scratching behind his left ear.

"I see you're back from your solo mission? You were only gone a few days." I said, not really surprised. Kyo was known for his skills. He'd only recently become a Jonin and was as competitive as Nara, Shina. In fact, missions were the only thing he could ever take seriously.

"Well, first off, it wasn't exactly solo," He reminded me, and Ankuro glared at me purposefully, "Plus, the guy was a coward. It was a piece of cake!"

In other words, the guy had some serious skills. Kyo could be a bit full of himself. Okay, not a bit, _alot._ Either way, his assassion mission was a success.

"So when are the next Jonin competitions? I wanna be there to root you on." Kyo said with a nudge.

"They haven't been announced yet." I replied. We both knew I was hoping to become a Jonin, and then move on as an ANBU. "I still don't get how you passed and I didn't." I sighed.

"Hard work and skill." Kyo bloated. "Keep in mind that I want to be the next hokage."

"Actually, I think someone else already has that in the bag. Konohamaru-San, remember?" I pointed out.

Kyo's face fell. "Oh yeah." He mumbled. Suddenly he spotted something behind me and chuckled. "Speaking of which..."

I turned around to see what he did. "_**KKKKAAAAAAAANNNNAAAAAAAA!**_" A little girl screeched. It was Mikari.

Mikari was Konohamaru-San's daughter. She only recently became a genin and was obsessed with the fact that my father was her father's role model. She insisted that I be her's. She was unusually short for her age. She looked eight when she was really twelve. She had black hair that was thick and could barely be held back in her pony tail. Her eyes were a pretty copper and her face was dotted with light freckles. She wore her head band as a belt, just like I did.

Her copper eyes were wide and her face hysterical. She rammed into me and hugged my waist, practically suffocating me. I staggered back in surprise, knocking into an amused Kyo.

"Kana!" Her words became so mixed together, I could barely understand what she said next, "Neeko said I couldn't tell but you want to be an ANBU and asked me if I ever heard anything about their doings I should tell you right away because you want to know everything about them and-"

"_**MIKARI!**_" A voice yelled.

Mikari squeaked and hid behind me. The voice belonged to Naru Neeko, also one of Mikari's team mates. He was like a younger version of his dad, Shikamaru, who was one of the most important members of the ANBU team.

His black eyes widened as he spotted me and froze, terrified.

"K-Kana Chan!" He yelped, stepping back slightly.

Mikari stuck her tongue out at him as she peeked out from behind me.

"You told her!" Neeko said furiously.

"Tell me what?" I demanded.

"The ANBU are posted all around town. There's been rumors that a possible ally is coming. They don't want you to know about it cuz the hokage doesn't want you to come face to face with him for unknown reasons." Mikari said this as quickly as she could. I understood every word.

"How interesting." I murmured, turning around to glare at Kyo. His dad was also part of the ANBU.

"How come you didn't tell me? I thought we told each other _everything!_" I growled.

Kyo threw his hands up defensively. "It was for your own protection, Kana. I wanted to tell you, but my dad explained to me how that knowledge would put you in danger. This guy is as much of a possible enemy as he is an ally. Plus, he used to be in allegiance with Oruchimaru-"

Oruchimaru. There was no way I was going to ignore this. This was personal. I started towards the hokage building.

"Kana, no!" Kyo grabbed my arm as I shoved past him. "You're not going to break into the Hokage's office on your own like that! ANBU are posted all over!" He said. I turned and twisted my arm out of his grasp. I smiled coldly.

"Then you're going to help."

Kyo shook his head wildly and Ankuro whined in protest. "There's no way I'm going to help you break into the Hokage's office. You won't convince me. Not this time."


	3. Chapter 2: Gullible Konoha

"I can't believe I'm helping you. Again." Kyo muttered from the bush we hid in.

"Just shut up and stick to the plan." I hissed. Ankuro whined in a low pitch, making his discomfort obvious. "You too, Ankuro." I added.

"Let's just get this over with." Kyo sighed. I grinned widely and stepped casually onto the path that led up to the huge building where the hokage was. The two gaurds up front were surprisingly not ANBU. Instead, I spotted Iruka Sensei and my own Sensei, Lee.

Lee blinked in surprise as he spotted me and grinned widely. His teeth sparkled as if they were winking at me. He held up his thumb as his teeth sparked. I still didn't know how he made his teeth glint like that. And hopefully, I never would.

"Kana! Basking in the glory of youth?" He asked cheerily. Poor Lee, he'd never see it coming. He'd be easy to convince. I glanced at Iruka, who glared suspiciously at me. He, on the other hand, wouldn't be so easy to fool. I faked a pout and looked at them with big, sad eyes. Lee's smile dissapeared.

"Is something wrong?" He asked in concern.

I sniffled and nodded."You're not gonna let me see my daddy, are you?" I said in a pitifully heart-wrenching voice.

Lee's eyes grew soft with emotion. "You'll be able to see him later, I promise." He soothed, showing his unnaturally white teeth again.

My lower lip quivered and I looked as if I might cry. "He doesn't love me?" I squeaked.

"Of course he loves you!"

"Then how come he won't see me? If he cared about me, he'd take the time to see me!"

Lee sensei looked as if he might burst into tears any minute. So far, so good. He turned to Iruka, who was looking at him like he was the biggest idiot in the world. He wasn't an idiot; Just a sucker for a sap story.

So was Kyo.

And everyone else in Konoha.

Everyone except Iruka Sensei.

Which led me back to my dilemma. How was I supposed to get passed someone who wouldn't buy my act? Time for plan B. But first, I'd watch the little drama scene unfolding before my very eyes. I swear, if I'd brought a camera, I could've taped this and turned it into one of those stupid soap operas. I'd call it, 'Ninjas with serious emotional problems.' This thought almost made me smile. Almost.

"Oh come on Iruka San, let us allow her to see him for a few seconds! I will make sure she finds him and they are reunited in the beauty of love and glory!" Lee was half begging. The other half, or rather the other half of his brain, was in one of those 'Youth and Love' stages. He sounded like a freaking hippie. Except for the slurred voce and every other sentence ending with the word 'Dude' or 'Man'. He was a gay cheerleader. Eh, what the heck?

"In case you forgot, she's the reason we're here in the first place!" Iruka pointed an accusing finger at me, like it was all my fault Lee Sensei was in the middle of having one of his episodes. Okay, so maybe it _was_ my fault. Like I cared. I decided it was time to drop another pity bomb on them.

"I knew it! Daddy doesn't love me!" I cried. It must've looked wierd to any unfortunate pedestrian who happened to pass by, seeing a 16-year-old complain like a toddler. Wierd; But apparently effective.

"Of course he does!" Lee said.

"Then why won't he see me!" Crocodile tears fell down my face. Intentional cying. What can I say? It was one of my many gifts.

"He's very busy." This time Iruka spoke up, talking to me like I was a toddler. Ugh. Time to wrap up my little act.

Suddenly my tears stopped and my eyes glinted with determination, and of course, mischief. "Then you give me no choice." I huffed.

My fingers twitched ever so slightly, a signal that Kyo and I had adapted ourselves to over the years. The only other people that knew about the sign were Lee Sensei and our other team mate, Aburame Kuno. But Lee Sensei was too busy feeling sorry for me to notice the lacking hand gesture.

In a flash, Kyo and Ankuro were flying over my head and landing on the 2 Senseis. I ducked passed the busy ninjas and quickly threw myself through the entrance to the huge building. Time for step 2.


	4. Chapter 3: Return of the Snake

**Authors note: Finally gotten to chapter 3! This is where things get interesting...**

Step two was pretty simple; Grab my dad's attention while trying to avoid attracting any attention to myself. I pulled out my Byakugan and kept my chakra under control. That was especially hard for me, considering I shared my body with a demon chalk full of chakra. Yeah, everyone knew my dad was the nine tailed jinchuuriki. Let's just say when I was born, the only tailed demon without a host was the three tails. The one demon everyone had seemed to be after for reasons unknown to me. Oruchimaru, and every other known villain. It was Konoha's job to keep the three tails from getting into the wrong hands. So, once my dad became hokage, he had the brilliant idea of putting the three tails into my body. But considering his amount of chakra, he didn't die doing the jutsu like his dad did when using it on him. Plus, instead of having the seal on my stomach, it was on the small of my back. An intricate design of beautiful, swirling patterns that reminded me of the sea. Déjà vu, with it's own little twist.

Speaking of déjà vu, I was automatically reminded of how familiar the little stunt I was pulling right now was. How many times had I done this? Every time my dad was trying to 'protect me', I always had to stick my nose into things. I had never made it all the way to my father's office without getting caught first. But that was because I was always too obvious. This time I was going to save my energy to do a crazy and stupid thing as soon as I reached the doors to the office.

Surprisingly though, the halls seemed to be empty of guards. Something told me it wasn't a trick, either. Something bigger was happening. I had to know what it was. Was Oruchimaru back, after all these years? Was he here to claim me? When I was a toddler, he'd bit me, giving me the strongest curse mark. The heaven curse mark. My father tried desperately to find a cure, and had finally exceeded only a few years back. But it was only temporary. It could only hold the pain back for so long. I could already feel the pain slowly coming back, which only made it harder for me to stay quiet.

Finally, I turned the corner that led to the hallway, which held the double doors to my father's office. Two ANBU stood at the doors. I could easily tell who they were, even with the masks. One was the thin tall figure of Shikamaru San, the father of Neeko and Shina. The ninja next to him was my uncle Neji Hyuuga. They were both staring straight at me.

Great.

Time for my reckless move. One that I'd only recently perfected. With the help of my dad, of course. Everything slowed down. Shikamaru's Shadow Possession Jutsu came at me as I formed a huge ball of chakra in my hand.

Rasengan.

Just as it slammed into the wall next to me, my body froze and was no longer under my control. Oh well, it didn't matter. My plan had worked. The Rasengan had formed a huge hole in the wall, smoke and bits of debris everywhere. My eyes burned from the smoke and it was hard to breath. I would've backed away or held my hand over my face to keep the ash out of my mouth and nose, but it was kind of hard to do that, considering Shikamaru didn't bother to move.

Lazy idiot.

I watched as the smoke cleared and my father's figure walked calmly towards me. I bit back a groan and Shikamaru made me face him.

"Hey, dad." I said uneasily. He finally came into full view, standing only inches from me now. I started at how exhausted he looked. He didn't have that warm sunny smile he always wore and his blue eyes were dark and cloudy, not bright and clear. The laugh lines on his face made him look two times older than he really was. His blond hair seemed ten times lighter, as if it were white. Then again, that could've been from the ash. Either way, he looked _terrible_.

My father forced a smile, but it was tight and without warmth. Definitely unusual.

"Kana. Causing mischief as always, I see." He murmured.

I heard Uncle Neji snort. I could almost imagine what he was thinking. Like father, like daughter. I'd always been told I was just like my dad when he was my age; Reckless, annoying, always causing mischief and destruction. I found that really hard to believe. I couldn't see my dad, the oh-so-perfect Hokage, pouring buckets of paint on unsuspecting villagers.

Or accidentally releasing some snakes in the middle of the academy.

Well, they thought it was an accident.

It wasn't.

Yeah, good times.

Either way, my diligent father couldn't possibly be like me. Could he? Nah.

My father glanced at Shikamaru. "It's alright. I might as well tell her what's going on. She deserves to know." He said wearily.

Shikamaru hesitated. "Are you sure that's the greatest idea, Naruto? They'll be here any minute-"

"Who?" I demanded, interrupting Shikamaru, "Who will be here soon?"

No one answered. Everyone seemed to be staring at something only they could see. Something buried in their past. Something that would unravel soon.

"Why won't you tell me?" I stamped my foot, suddenly realizing I could move again.

Shikamaru had been the first to break the trance as he stepped forward and placed a hand on my dad's shoulder.

"It's your choice whether or not you want to tell her now. You can't keep him away from her forever. Especially since she's already been marked." He murmured before disappearing around the corner. My stomach did a nervous flip at the word 'marked'. I knew what they meant. I watched as Neji followed behind shortly, then glanced back at my dad. He was moving towards his desk, obviously expecting me to follow.

I didn't.

I simply watched as he pulled something from a drawer in his desk and urged me forward. Hesitantly, I moved towards his desk and stared at what he placed on the desk. It was a photo.

It took a while for me to place the faces. It was a picture of my dad's old team. I recognized Kakashi-Sama, or as I liked to call him, Old Man Kaka. Then there was Sakura Sensei on the right, my dad goofing off in the center, and a black-haired boy with charcoal eyes standing off to the far left.

Suddenly a memory from the day I was marked flashed through my head. A similar boyish outline hovering over me, fire in the background. A face with detail that couldn't be seen against the bright fire. The word 'Uchiha' hissed across my mind. My fingers absently brushed across the boy forever frozen in time.

"He's back." I murmured. There was no question about it. It was obvious what was about to unfold in Konoha.

I looked up as my father turned to look out the large window behind his desk. Through the window you could see a perfect view of the entire city. I noticed with a start that a rainbow circled the sun, high in the sky. A bad omen.

Without turning to face me, he said, "Yes, he's back."

"I thought the curse mark wasn't supposed to come back for another year, but lately it's effects have been coming back…" I gingerly touched the skin on my neck where the curse mark used to be. Already I could feel heat pulsing against my fingers. Almost as if the thing were alive. The effects were mildly coming back, alright. The black mark was still invisible though, or at least I hoped it was.

This time my father turned to look at me, his brow furrowing in confusion. "Remove your hand from your neck." He ordered, his blue eyes already searching.

Reluctantly I removed my hand from my neck. I watched as his eyes widened and I frowned. "Is it visible?" My voice was high-pitched with fear. I didn't want to go through the pain it has caused all over again.

"Unfortunately." My father muttered. I knew the pain I'd gone through had afflicted him as well. It had been a year before he could find a cure. I scanned my father's face curiously, wondering what he was thinking. But his face was giving away little, which was highly unusual.

He slumped into his chair and covered his face with his hands. He sighed agitatedly. "It's worse than I thought." He muttered. He sounded like he was about to give up. I didn't know _what_ he was ready to give up on, but my father _never_ gave up.

I grabbed the picture frame and slammed it loudly in front of him. I jabbed my finger at the little pink-haired girl.

"What would Sakura-sensei do if she knew you were about to give up?" I demanded. My father stared at me, mouth agape, momentarily caught off guard. In a second, his face turned from astonishment to confusion. Right now, _I _felt like the parent.

"K-Kana, what-?"

"What. Would. She. Say?" I pronounced each word clearly, threading meaning into each one.

My father's eyes became their usual clear blue and his warm sunny smiled was slowly creeping back. Sakura Sensei used to train me alongside my mom before I became a Genin. I'd learned from her how to gather chakra and release it as Tai Jutsu through my fists and feet. She'd been happily married to Lee and had a son. It was around the time I was a Genin when I found out that she had died in an assassion mission. Her body was never found. Neither was the man who killed her.

It was a long while before any of us got over it. Still, I never failed to use her example as a reference. Especially considering her husband was my actual Sensei.

My father chuckled lightly and was about ready to answer when an ANBU suddenly poofed into the room. Another recognizable person; Mask or no mask. Inuzuka Kiba. A.K.A, Kyo's dad. I noticed with a start that he was covered in scratches and dirt. Akamaru wasn't with him.

"Naruto." He said this with great effort it seemed, "An ambush. They tricked us."

My father leaped to his feet, all emotion gone once again. "Where?"

"They came out of nowhere… The entrance…" He shook his head in disbelief.

I ran for the exit. I wasn't getting left out this time. After all, wasn't it me they wanted?

Much to my surprise, Kiba grabbed my arm and yanked me away. Even more surprising, he took off his mask and stared me straight in the eye. As always, I was amazed by how much Kyo looked like his father. He gave me a wry grin.

"Sorry, Kana. Not this time." He said gruffly.

I yanked my arm away. "I'm old enough to take him on myself!" I growled.

Kiba shook his head grimly. "Them." He corrected.

"What?" That caught me off guard. I'd been expecting Oruchimaru only. Did Sasuke Uchiha come as well? I couldn't picture them working together. Not after Sasuke had betrayed him.

Kiba seemed to know what I was thinking. "Them as in Oruchimaru and…" Again he shook his head in disbelief and looked at my father. "The Akatsuki. They're back.'


	5. Chapter 4: Unexpected Ambush

**Authors Note: Sorry, I know a couple of you guys were freaking cuz I hadn't posted any new chapters for the longest time. But alot of personal life stuff has been going on and I just needed a little break. But now I've got a new chapter out and I actually have more hand written in a journal, so I'll have that down tomorrow, meaning two more chapters at the least! :D**

**P.S. I do not own the original Naruto characters.  
**

_**(An hour earlier…)**_

"I wonder how much little Kana has grown." Oruchimaru, or rather Kabuto, mused. "No doubt she's grown strong. Perhaps even stronger than her father."

_"Don't get ahead of yourself, Kabuto. She's only begun to unlock her potential."_ Oruchimaru's voice echoed into their shared mind.

"I hope that's the case. At least her determination is just as undying as her father's. At least, that's what I've heard from people who have met her. She's become quite popular, just as popular as her father. I've always respected Naruto for his confidence."

_"I have no interest in the 9 tails. It's the 3 tails I'm after."_ Oruchimaru stated dryly.

"Don't worry, she'll be yours soon enough. Keep in mind, we have a secret weapon. One that won't fail." Kabuto paused, a sly smile spreading across his face, then added into some headphones he was wearing; "Isn't that right, Akito?"

A tall, dark, and handsome ninja was well hidden in the trees right outside of the entrance to the hidden leave village. He stared down at the entrance to Konoha, where several ANBU were posted. Or at least they looked like they would be some of Konoha's ninja. It was obvious he was Uchiha, his sharingan being exposed. A look of annoyance had spread across his face due to Kabuto's comment. "Let's just get this over with. They know we're coming, don't they? Enough talk." He spoke, or rather rudely stated, into his head set.

"Are the others inside already?" Kabuto stood on the heads carved into the rock wall of past hokages.

"Yeah." The Uchiha boy, Akito, was wearing ANBU clothing that he'd 'borrowed' from a missing leaf ninja. He pulled out the mask and put it over his face. "Ready for step 2." He added.

"Good." Kabuto said, Oruchimaru's voice echoing the words in a haunting way. Their laugh echoed just as hauntingly through the air.

_**(Back to present time…)**_

"Kana! Come back!" I heard Kiba-San call behind me. I hadn't waited to find out who the Akatsuki were as I darted down the halls. Either way, I'd find out soon enough. I skidded to a halt in front of a window and slammed my fist into the glass without hesitation, causing it to explode into thousands of tiny glass shards. Kiba's hand inches from my arm, I leapt through the window and landed with practiced expertise on my hands before back flipping onto my feet. Without looking back, I continued to run towards the smoke in the distance.

Half way there, I began to realize that Konoha had become oddly deserted. A little late notice, I know, but what can I say? I'm a blonde. I scanned the place that had turned into a ghost town within the hour and my eyes caught the slightest movement coming from the ramen shack, or more commonly known as Ichiraku Ramen.

I slowly and soundlessly ducked under the curtains and scanned the small space. As I was about to lean over the bar to check the dark area of the floor, a hand holding a pan came flying at my face. I instinctively ducked and snatched the wrist of the person. Under my firm, steady grip, I could feel the person shaking uncontrollably with fear. The hand was slender and female. I relaxed as the terrified face poked out from behind the bar.

"Ayame!" I sighed.

"Kana!" Teuchi's daughter squeaked as she leaped to her feet. She threw her slender arms around my neck and squeezed me until I was suffocating.

"Can't… Breathe…!" I choked.

The poor Ayame barely let go because she was shaking so hard. "I'm sorry! I thought you were one of the…" She glanced side to side as if something might pop out of the shadows. "The Akatsuki." She whispered shakily.

"Who are the Akatsuki?" I asked, lowering my voice as well.

Ayame laughed nervously. "Oh, that's right, you're not old enough to remember them. They separated a long time ago, thanks to your father." She shuddered, and continued. "They were terrible though. They were a group of murderous, ruthless ninjas, each having been kicked out of their village for unforgivable crimes. They were after the nine Jinchuuriki-"

"Jinchuuriki?" I cut in urgently.

Ayame frowned. "Yeah, why?"

"N-Never mind!" I stuttered. The mark on my chest felt as if it were burning through my clothes at that very moment. "Where did everyone go? The village is deserted."

Ayame shook her head. "They sent us to the emergency dorms. I stayed because I needed to gather food for the villagers. Some ANBU were going to help me, but then the Akatsuki came. The other ninja were gathered after the evacuation. They were needed for the tracking and protection of the village's jewel… Do you have any idea of what they're talking about?" She asked nervously.

"I think I have an idea." I muttered.

They meant me.

The hokage's daughter.

The princess who escaped the dungeon.

The precious jewel of Konoha.

As I thought this, I noticed the expectant look on Ayame's face and realized she was waiting for me to explain. I sighed and shook my head. "Forget it. Come on, I'll help you get to safety." I said. She nodded eagerly and clung tightly to my arm. I helped her over the bar, only to realize that we did not need to take a single step before we ran into them.

In other words, the Akatsuki found us.

Well, at least I was guessing they were the Akatsuki; There were three of them. They were wearing ANBU outfits that I was guessing they stole from some of our ninja.

I shoved Ayame behind me and she fell to the ground, her legs unable to hold her up any longer. "Take me, but leave her alone." I said steadily. I was used to the whole routine of getting captured, then finding a convenient way of escaping, and so on. The middle one, a tall muscular guy around my age with black hair nodded and the other two took one of my arms each like good little minions.

They shoved me after the leader as he turned and started towards the smoke. I glanced in Ayame's direction, but she was gone. I glanced forward again, not stopping to think about her sudden dissapearance, and prepared myself for the worse.

**Hope you liked it! :D Please review!**


	6. Chapter 5: Uchiha

**Author's note: Okay, so here's another chapter! I hope you like it! :D And I will have another chapter or two up today, in case you were wondering. It's my way of making up for being gone for so long. So, here ya go!**

**P.S. I do not own the original characters of Naruto, even though I desperately wish I did.**

I was surprise when we stopped as soon as we turned the corner. I'd expected us to continue towards the smoke which I could now tell was close to the entrance to the village.

The leader turned to face me and reached up to take off his mask. I took in a sharp breath as the face became visible. Automatically, my past flashed through my head. The same picture of a boy standing over me, flames in the background. That all too familiar excruciating pain…

I knew without a doubt that this was the same boy.

"Uchiha." I whispered.

He was handsome, no doubt about it. His eyes were pitch black at the moment. His face was smooth and emotionless. It was also obvious he was around my age. Maybe a few years older. I looked down at my feet as he blinked and his sharingan began to form. He stepped forward and tilted my head up. I squeezed my eyes shut. Instinct told me he was a wielder of Mangekyo. And my instinct had never failed me before.

"Open your eyes, Kana." He ordered in an exasperated tone.

"How do I know you won't hurt me with your sharingan?" I said sharply.

"I've been told to use the Mangekyo as a last resort only. I have my sharingan out to make sure you don't try anything stupid." He explained easily.

I peeked one eyes open and realized he was telling the truth. He was only using the mirror stage of his sharingan.

"Now, show me where your mark is."

I decided to buy for time. I was guessing they weren't sure I really was what they came for, so I needed to bide my time until help came. I knew my father would call for some ninja to find me since I'd ran off. "Oh, you mean this one?" I yanked my arms from the two Akatsuki's grips and was relieved when they didn't fight back. I brushed my hair over one shoulder to reveal the side of my neck on which the curse mark was displayed.

The Uchiha's eyes widened only for a second with surprise, before going back to emotionless. My own eyes narrowed curiously. I'd expect someone with ties to Oruchimaru and the Akatsuki to know more than this. He must've at least known I had a curse mark.

"The other mark, Uzumaki." He growled impatiently.

I frowned. "What other mark?" I asked, carefully keeping my voice controlled.

"You know what I mean. Keep playing this game, and your friend back there will pay for your own stupid decision." He muttered. My sharp eyes noticed his lips twitch only the slightest, as if he were sharing something that he thought of as a joke.

I swallowed loudly. "Why do you want to know?" I asked earnestly. What the hell was taking my rescuers so long? For once, I actually didn't mind being saved. Instinct was screaming at me that it was a bad idea to take on these guys solo. I'd be dead in ten seconds.

If I was lucky.

"Strike two, Kana." Another thing; I never told him my name, so how come he knew it? Then again, Oruchimaru could have told him.

"Oh, come on. Is that really fair?" I said with a sarcastic smile.

The Uchiha scowled, his eyes narrowed to slits. Then, after a moment of hesitation, he decided to play along. "You're right. It's not fair." He said with an equally sarcastic smile.

"You know, I'd feel much more comfortable if you told me your name before I let you stare at me." I tilted my head slightly.

"Might as well tell you since you'll be stuck with me for a long time." This comment made my smile disappear. What? What was he talking about? "Akito." He answered, his smile widening at my caught off guard look. The he added with pure amusement, "You know, your little rescue team isn't coming anytime soon."

"E-Excuse me?" I stuttered.

"They're not coming. In fact, right about now they should be sound asleep. It's exhausting, trying to keep the hidden leaf's jewel under watchful eyes. You can imagine how relieved they must have been when I offered to watch her for them." He murmured.

My eyes filled with deathly fury. "What did you do to them?" I whispered sharply.

"Mangekyo is quite a useful weapon, don't you think? So is Henge no Jutsu. I would expect someone like you to have caught on easily. Guess I was mistaken." He chuckled at this, only adding to my fury.

"Answer the damn question!" I yelled, grabbing the collar of his shirt in fist fulls until we were nose to nose.

"Only if you promise to reveal to me your mark." He countered.

"Fine." I growled through my teeth. "You first."

Akito grinned and placed his hands on mine, easily releasing himself from my death grip with his own unusual strength. "Fine. Though it's really quite simple. Let's start at the beginning. Like the fact that it wasn't really Kiba in the Hokage's office. Really it was yours truly. That was where the Henge no Jutsu had come in."

I gasped sharply. Well, that explained why there was no Akamaru. What if he'd stolen his ANBU outfit as well as his identity? What if the real Kiba-San was… I pushed the thought away as he continued.

"I knew you would hate being told what to do, so I knew if I ordered you to stay, you would do the exact opposite. I ran after you to avoid suspicion and purposefully let you go, knowing what you would run into."

"How could you possibly know I would do that?" I cut in.

"Ever heard of the saying, 'Keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer'? Let's just say I altered that into something in which I learn your personality without actually making contact with you."

"Stalker-ish." I muttered.

He ignored my comment and continued. "The Akatsuki easily got rid of the ANBU with my help and we 'borrowed' their outfits to avoid suspicion for as long as possible. Then we proceeded to trick the ninja into gathering outside the town for a 'meeting'. Once you started towards the destruction where we fought the ANBU, I used my Mangekyo to paralyze your father and made my way to the meeting. I finished them off like I did your father while three of the Akatsuki," He waved in the direction of the so-called-ANBU, "Tracked you down." He finished.

I frowned and shook my head. "Three Akatsuki? Not including you, there were only two…" I slowly closed my mouth as realization hit.

"Why would sweet Ayame have enough courage to grab some ramen for the villagers when they evacuated?" Akito murmured in my ear.

"It was someone in disguise. Once he spotted me, he contacted the others for backup while he put on an act to buy time." I muttered. And a pretty good act at that. I didn't suspect a thing. It seemed just like Ayame to cower like that.

Akito smiled slightly. "Seems your not as dim as I was beginning to think."

"But why are you helping Oruchimaru?" I asked, my body numb with disbelief. It seemed as if Oruchimaru had won. He'd actually gotten his way.

He had what he wanted right in his grasp.

He finally had Konoha's jewel.

He finally had me.

"Not fair. I already gave you more than enough answers. You need to keep your part of the bargain." Akito reminded me.

I scowled at him and moved my right hand to move the collar off of my left shoulder. Over my heart, between my breast and shoulder, a tattoo rested. It was like the shell of a turtle, a seal mark on the center of the shell. The mark was dark blue and fluorescent only in the moonlight.

I shivered and blushed furiously as his hand brushed over it, like a caress. He smiled, noticing my reaction.

"So the rumors are true." He murmured, "You are the vessel of the three tails."

**Author's note: That's right! In case you didn't guess it already, she's the vessel for the three tails! :O WARNING! SPOILERS! - (Okay, I know some of you are like, 'wait, but isn't there already a vessel for the three tails?' No, that's only in the manga version. The anime version that hasn't been dubbed yet originally mentioned that the three tails was the only one without a vessel and everyone like the Akatsuki, Oruchimaru, and every nation was after it. I haven't seen more recent episodes, so I don't know if that changed, but I've been imagining this story for quite a while, and only recently started putting it on paper. And Fan fiction.)**


	7. Chapter 6: As If Nothing Happened

**Author's note: Okay, so this is where the romance begins. I might change the rating from T to M later, depending on where I decide to go with their relationship. Hope you like it! :D**

**P.S. I do not own any of the original Naruto characters**.

His fingers brushed from my mark up along the line of my collar bone to my neck, and finally rested under my chin. He lifted my head up. As he did this, I became paralyzed by his touch. The sensation was unlike one I'd ever come across. I wanted him to do more than just touch me. Maybe hold me or kess me… And at the same time I hated him with every fiber of my being.

I wanted him dead.

I wanted to be the death of him.

That's when I realized what he was doing. Well, okay, I didn't actually know what he was doing until he actually did it.

He kissed me.

Kinda fast for two people who just met after ten years of seperation. Well kinda. I mean, not only did we never really know each other in the first place, but the dude had been stalking me for who knows how long? Anyway, the kiss was pretty passionate and only a couple of seconds of pure bliss passed before I realized what he was doing.

He was poisoning me.

There was poison on his lips.

He kissed me to poison me.

Well, so much for my fantasy.

Then everything disappeared.

Akito caught Kana as she fell from the poison with one of his arms. He used the other arm to wipe the rest of the poison off of his mouth. As he did this, he could sense Oruchimaru appear behind him. "Very creative, Akito, saying that you were following her to attain information about her. I applaud you for that last bit, too. Quite ironic, I'd say." He chuckled.

Akito picked Kana up bridal style and faced Oruchimaru. "I know what you're planning now, so I don't see why you continue to torture me by making remarks at the irony of this situation." He growled.

Oruchimaru raised his eyebrows, a snake-like smile spreading across his face. "Oh?"

"You left out one intricate detail about Kana. The fact that she has the heaven curse mark. The equal and opposite of mine. The earth curse mark." Akito said with growing annoyance.

"Yes, but I don't think you fully appreciate my plan." Oruchimaru mused.

"You're damn right I don't!" Akito snapped. Then his voice became low, shaking with fury. "If you think I'll actually follow through with this, you're wrong."

"Oh, but I think you will. My plan's aligned with destiny, boy. But no worries. You'll come to realize that soon enough. Actually, I believe from that little kiss, you've already learned the truth in my words." Oruchimaru stated, then added before Akito could argue, "Now, I'm leaving it up to you to play innocent. You already put in everyone's head that you're an ally of Konoha and that your father and sister are as well. All that's left is to gain Kana's trust, as well as her friend's and family's loyalty." And with a wicked chuckle, Oruchimaru was gone.

Akito rolled his eyes. "Like I need a crazy snake guy ordering me around." He muttered, also noticing the Akatsuki had gone with Oruchimaru. Then he started towards the hospital, where Kana would wake safe and sound, as if nothing had ever happened. As if he'd always been an ally of Konoha…

**Author's note: Okay, I know it's short, but hey, it's something right? Anyway, I _might_ add more today. But that's a big maybe. I've got other stuff I need to do, such as homework, etc. But I _promise_ I won't have a longer absence this time! It might be a week at most though. But hey, at least I'm giving a warning this time, right? Anyway, Read and Review please! :D**


	8. Chapter 7: Waking Up to Hell

**Author's note: Sorry, I know, longer than a week, and I really don't have an excuse other than the fact that it's christmas break... heehee. ^.^'**

**P.S.: I do not own the original characters of Naruto. But I am asking for ownership over them for Christmas. I probably won't get it, but hey, it's worth a try. And if Santa comes through my chimney without a note signed saying I'm the official owner, he can say hello to the machine gun I happen to conveniently keep under my bed. (Which, by the way, I haven't used since the last visit from the tooth fairy. .)**

The first thing that came to mind was that I was dead. Then I heard that annoying beeping and groaned. I wasn't dead.

I was stuck to an IV in the hospital.

Even worse.

I peeked open one eye to blinding lights and closed it, groaning again.

Yup. Definitely the hospital.

How many times had I ended up here?

Too many to count.

"And so the oh-so-lovely sleeping beauty awakes, with her ratty blonde hair and groans of mortification." A deep voice chuckled.

This time when I opened my eyes, a familiar form was standing over me, blocking the blinding lights. My pale eyes met my father's smiling blue ones.

"How long?" I mumbled.

My father shrugged. "Not long. Hold on, I'll get the lights." He said.

I closed my eyes as he said that. He knew me well enough to know that I hated the blaring lights in the infirmary rooms. So every time I woke up, he was always there to turn the lights off as soon as I awoke. A little late on the draw this time, but that soon made sense when a slobbery tongue swept across my face.

"Sorry to keep your dad, Kana. We were just talking about, er… The new guy." Kyo explained as he popped into my peripheral vision.

"The new guy?" I blinked, automatically dreading the answer. My meeting with the Uchiha crept uninvitingly into my head. I felt my face go red at the reminder of his touch and what it had made me feel. Looks like the lights being off had more than one advantage. Hopefully Kyo's eyes weren't good enough to see through the dark at my red face.

Thankfully, he wasn't even looking in my direction. Instead, he watched as my dad walked towards the entrance. "I'll leave you to explain things, Kyo. I need to get back to our guest and make arrangements for his and his family's stay." He said reluctantly, throwing me a smile before he shut the door gently behind him.

Kyo sighed loudly and slumped into the chair next to my bed. He looked like he'd just been through hell. Okay, so that wasn't necessarily true. Except for a couple of bandages on his arms and a scratch over his right eyebrow, he looked fine. But his eyes looked haunted. Like he'd seen and heard things no one should see or hear. What he said next confirmed that.

"I saw what happened between you and the Uchiha guy." He muttered, not meeting my gaze.

We were silent for a long time, Ankuro watching gloomily.

Finally, I barely muttered, "How much did you see?" Instead of answering, he parried with his own question. "How do you know him?"

"What makes you think I know him?" I parried back, my voice wary.

"Because I saw the look on your face when he took the mask off. You got that far away look in your eyes like you always do when looking back on past memories." Kyo snapped.

When I said nothing, he continued angrily. "You never even told me you had a curse mark! I thought our relationship was better than that, Kana!"

I looked up at this and winced when I saw the pain and sadness in his eyes. He was finally looking at me, but I couldn't stand to look at him. I glanced away and stared at my hands folded nearly on my lap. I didn't know what to say. Not that it mattered, since he continued to slam me.

"And then… And then he kissed you."

"I didn't like it." I mumbled, trying miserably to defend myself.

"You kissed him back!"

"I-"

"Don't say anything. Please." Kyo said softly, but furiously.

"Well, what else am I supposed to do! Listen to you yell at me!" I shouted, my hands clutching into fists.

"Don't you think you deserve it!"

"Well, bringing up that kiss definitely wasn't necessary!"

I retorted, looking up in time to see him flinch.

"Why do you care anyway?" I whispered, my eyes wavering with bitter tears.

Kyo met my eyes, his own steady, but wary. "What would you do if I told you I was in love with you?"

I was stunned into silence and he scanned my face for any emotion. But my face had gone blank with shock. How come I'd never noticed his feelings for my before? I thought he only saw me as a friend. And what surprised me even more was that I could actually see as together. It didn't seem weird in an _I'm-dating-my-brother _kind of way. It seemed so natural.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door, making both of us jump and Ankuro's head shoot up form where he'd been comfortably asleep at the floor of my hospital bed.

"C-Come in!" I stuttered.

A nurse's head peeked in and she smiled beamingly at me. "Oh good! You're both still here! The hokage has called for team eight to meet in his office. Are you well enough to leave the hospital, my lady?" She said in an overly perky voice.

"Oh, uh yes, I'm fine!" I mumbled.

"Very well. Come along, then! The hokage is waiting, along with your team mate and our guest!" The nurse said before disappearing.

"Great." Kyo and I muttered at the same time. Ankuro whined in agreement. My life was about to get very interesting. And for more than one reason.

Kyo and I were quiet in an awkward way the entire way to the hokage's office. He kept throwing furtive glances in my direction, as if he didn't think I could see. Actually, he kept doing it so often, I was about ready to slap him and tell him to stop it. In fact, I did turn on him once, only to end up knocking into someone going in the opposite direction.

"Watch it!" I snapped, only realizing too late that I'd lashed out at an innocent passer-by that hadn't done a thing to piss me off.

"Oh, uh, s-sorry." I mumbled, taking in the girl I'd ran into. She was dazzling. She looked my age, with big, dark eyes and flowing, curly brown hair that tumbled down to the middle of her back. There were black highlights in her hair, which seemed to make her olive skin stand out. Or maybe it was the sun that turned the brown curls into a tinted auburn.

And yet, somehow she looked familiar.

The girl stared at me for a moment before her full lips tilted into a perfect smile.

"Don't stress so much. Keeping you eyes open and mind clear can be very beneficial." She said in a warm, honey-smooth voice, with a slight nasal sound to it that made her sound innocent and young. Then she stepped sideways until her arm brushed against mine. Before leaving, she added in a whisper, "Or if you don't, control becomes unattainable."

And with that, she was gone.

Literally, when I turned to watch her leave, she wasn't even there.

Talk about creepy.

By the time we got to the entrance for the hokage's office, I realized why her face looked so familiar. "Do you by any chance know if Akito has a sister?" I asked.

Kyo gave me a _where-did-this-come-from?_ look. "Uh… Yeah. I heard he had a sister and dad when he was talking to Oruchimaru." Kyo muttered, his face carefully guarded.

"A sister." The girl had been his sister! It made sense. I realized now, comparing mental images, that they had the same eyes, nose, and skin tone.

Huh.

I was just about to put my hand on the doorknob, when I registered what else Kyo had said.

"When was he talking to Oruchimaru?" I asked, my haunted gaze locked on my hand that still was held midair, aimed for the doorknob.

Kyo shifted uncomfortably next to me.

"I, uh, heard them talk after you fainted. Maybe this isn't the best time to talk about-"

"We have time." I snapped impatiently. Why hadn't he told me this back in the infirmary instead of slamming me? We had plenty of time then. And this was too important to put off. He'd have to deal with it. As I thought these things, my temper spiked considerably.

Kyo shifted uncomfortably and nodded. "O-Okay. They started talking about how Akito had put in everyone's head that he'd always been an ally of Konoha, along with his sister and dad. When I ran to the hokage's office after I made sure he didn't do anything to you and saw that he left you in a vacant hospital room, I ran to the hokage's office and found your dad sitting at his desk, looking all bright and happy like usual, as if nothing ever happened. I started telling him about the new guy and he didn't give me time to finish. As soon as I mentioned Akito's name, he smiled and told me not to worry, and that Akito had contacted him, saying he was visiting with his dad and sis and had found you right before you fainted suddenly. He said it might've been from over-exertion like last month-"

"Yeah, I get it." I snapped irritably.

Last month, I'd over exerted myself in training because of my recent rival, Nara Shina, had gotten better and we'd made a bet on who was better in tai-jutsu. And when I take on a challenge… Well, let's just say I know no limits. Anyway, that wasn't what was making me more peeved by the minute. Akito had found a way to erase the memories of everyone in Konoha except Kyo and I, as well as alter some memories to his own benefit.

Why? Why go through so much trouble?

Did Oruchimaru want to get to me that badly?

And why did he need Akito to do this for him?

I twisted the knob and flung the door open with such ferocity that I accidentally used some tai-jutsu through chakra that had built up subconsciously from the adrenaline rushing through me. The door swung off it's hinges and crashed to the floor in front of me. Then, as soon as I spotted Akito, who stared at me with raised eyebrows, my body acted before my mind could stop my big mouth.

I pointed accusingly at Akito. "You!" I shouted and stomped forward as I continued to sputter, "You! You - You annoying, twisted, mind-controlling-!"

"Kana!" A flurry of wasps suddenly surrounded me, ready to attack.

"Back down, and keep your temper in control. Your anger is starting to become… Visible." A raspy voice said urgently. I spun around to come face to face with Aburame Kuno, my other team mate.

I realized what he was talking about as I took in the blonde hair that was gently rising off of my shoulders as though I were underwater. A green, hazy aura cascaded gently against my skin like waves on a shore. I closed my eyes, knowing they would be glowing the same green color. I breathed in through my nose and out through my mouth, focusing on soothing memories and funny pranks I'd pulled in my past, blocking the outside world. Slowly, the energy thrumming through my body dimmed to a soft humming in my ears. Then, slowly, I became aware of voices around me.

"… See why you were so eager to allow me and my family into your village." Akito's voice came to me. He sounded close, as if he were right in front of me. My eyes fluttered open. Sure enough, he was right in front of me, almost a foot away, scanning me like I was an annoying rock he'd happened to trip over.

"Good, kana, you've come to." My father's relieved voice said behind me, his hand patting my shoulder. I looked up to see his warm blue eyes filled with concern. "What's got you so riled up?"

My eyes flicked back to Akito and I scowled.

"I find it ironic how they've formed such a… Strong bond so quickly." A deep voice stated. I looked over to see a man that looked a lot like Akito enter the room. He still stared at the fallen door. Only his eyes showed mild amusement. "Your daughter has quite and arm." He added with raised eyebrows as he glanced at my father.

Naruto nodded in greeting to the man. "Sasuke, I wasn't expecting you and your daughter so soon." He said calmly as the girl I'd run into before entered. I heard Kyo take in a sharp breath of surprise. The girl scanned the room before locking on me. She smiled that perfect smile again.

"So we meet again." She said in that sweet, honey voice, genuinely kind.

"I never got your name." I said, smiling hesitantly back.

"Mitsu." She replied.

"Oh, I'm Kana."

Mitsu's smiled widened and her dark eyes flashed with amusement. "I know who you are." She murmured.

"You two know each other?" My dad said with interest.

"Oh, yeah, we ran into each other on my way home." I mumbled.

"I'd been leaving the hokage building once I'd been informed that my brother was already here so I could pass the message on to my father. Akito tends to wander off on his own. He's very… Independent." Mitsu explained. Then she smiled at me and added, "Perhaps opening your eyes and clearing your mind are more beneficial than you originally thought, am I right?"

I realized then that my chakra must've been spilling over when I'd run into her. She'd been telling me I needed to calm down. It also explained why Kyo was so reluctant to tell me about Akito and Oruchimaru's talk. He was afraid it would make me worse than I already was. The only reason he did tell me was because he must have thought if he didn't, I'd lash out at him. Well, that made me feel even better than I already felt.

I laughed nervously. "Yeah… R-Right." I mumbled, looking away, only to meet Akito's penetrating gaze.

My father suddenly cleared his throat and I tore my eyes away from Akito to look at him.

"Now, while we're making acquaintance, Kana, Kyo, Kuno, I want you to get to know Uchiha Akito. He will be joining you for training session and any missions you go on. I expect you to treat him like he's part of the team."

"What! Why!" I blurted.

My father met my eyes steadily. "Every day, it gets harder for you to control your chakra. Akito is our only ally that knows how to suppress your chakra."

"I can control it! I have plenty of control! I just controlled it a minute ago!"

"You only controlled it so easily because you were warned in time. But that rarely happens, Kana. You know that as well as anyone."

I clamped my mouth shut and proceeded to glare.

"Now, your sensei has already been told ahead of time, so there's no point in complaining to him, because he agrees it's for the best." My father didn't stop meeting my gaze, even though his voice implied that he was talking to my team mates as well.

"Whatever." I mumbled.

Fine. So he'd be at the practices. But it's not like we had to act like he was even there. And there wouldn't be anything he could do about it. I mean, everything would be normal as long as we ignored him, and I'd be more careful about controlling my chakra. Then, before I knew it, he'd be out of my hair for good.

Plus, bending rules to my convenience was easy. Like second nature to me. He'd be gone in no time.

Unfortunately, bending rules was just as easy for Akito.

**Author's note: Hope you like it! R&R! :D**


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